Eradica had changed the world. The disease has caused five hundred million deaths so far, and the number has only been increasing by the day. Anyone with the disease was instantly killed. Mila worked tirelessly each day, experimenting and researching ways to end this devastating illness that had been spreading like wildfire. At this point, she had considered the lab her new home. Eradica had taken her twin sister, and Mila did not want anyone to endure such a loss, leading to her determination to find a cure.

Mila and Sarah were more than just sisters–they were best friends. They were always there for each other ever since birth and were inseparable. Ever since they were seven years old, they dreamt of being doctors. Both girls worked extremely hard and entered prestigious medical schools to pursue their passions. But unfortunately, Sarah’s path to becoming a doctor had ended too soon. She had gone from wanting to save lives to her life needing to be saved.

Every memory of Sarah was just another reason for Mila to find a cure for the illness. Mila sometimes stayed up all night hard at work, which reminded her of her study sessions with Sarah for exams. They would always cram the night before while downing gallons of coffee and always ended up getting remarkable scores. Mila and Sarah were extremely gifted and were able to do anything if they put their mind to it. When Eradica had first been reported, Mila and Sarah eagerly took on the opportunity to find the cure. They worked for hours and hours each day to contain the disease. But the disease won against Sarah and now it was up to Mila to stop Eradica.

That night, Mila put on her protective gear and headed out into the city. She was hoping to find a component that could help create the cure. Mila ventured out into the unusual quietness of what once used to be busy streets filled with people strolling and honking cars. Mila found herself stumbling upon a pharmacy that she thought would potentially have the special substance. The building was abandoned and eerie, but she didn’t lose hope. She walked through the dark aisles, using her flashlight to guide her. Eventually, she found what she needed and sped out of the pharmacy. 

Mila had made it back to the lab as the sun was starting to rise. She hadn’t slept in four days, but she wasn’t about to let the exhaustion consume her. She was so close–or so she thought. Mila tried relentlessly, but the solution from the pharmacy was not providing the results she expected. Disappointed by this setback, she burst into tears. Her emotions took over and she sobbed for an hour straight. She needed to cure Eradica and she would do anything for it. 

Mila woke up, her head hurting from falling asleep on the cold desk. Her fatigue had defeated her and she had ended up sleeping for a complete day. She gathered herself together and took medications to get rid of the migraine. She couldn’t believe she wasted a day sleeping and thought of it as an addition to her setback. Mila instantly got back to work and researched more about what her groundbreaking element for the cure could be. 

A week and a half later, Mila figured out another substance that could be her breakthrough for eliminating the disease once and forever. But the only problem was that it was in a lab that was around a day-long walk away. No other way of transportation was possible as gas stations were shut down and nobody was willing to leave their homes. Mila knew the possible consequences of this journey, but she knew she had to try. 

Mila set off to the lab in her protective gear, carrying a backpack full of essentials. She had brought plenty of water and food in the circumstances that it took her longer than her estimated time to walk and get to her destination. The scorching heat was cooking Mila alive, and her heavy gear was weighing her down. But she did not let that stop her. Mila was resilient. 

She reached the lab around twenty-one hours later. Mila plugged in the code to get access to the lofty building which would have exactly what she needed. The doors creaked wide open, a sign showing that nobody had entered this lab for quite a long time. She stealthily walked inside the gloomy interior and made her way to a room.

When she entered the room, her eyes caught a glimpse of a tall man sitting in a chair, tapping his fingers on the table. Trying not to get his attention, she tiptoed her way to a drawer and started searching. That’s when Mila noticed that he was not the only person in the room. Slightly further away were rows and rows of people sitting at desks, typing away at their computers. Mila did not understand what this was, but she decided to ignore it as that was not what she had come here for. Eventually, she found the substance and left the peculiar environment of a lab. 

Mila ventured back to her lab, with great hope for it to work out. She needed it to work. Mila could not stand what the world had turned into–a quiet abyss of nothingness. She missed the lively city she once lived in. Most importantly, she missed her sister. The whole way back her mind was flooded with memories of Sarah. She thought about how Sarah was such a caring person, always putting others before herself. Mila couldn’t help but shed a tear thinking about her lifelong best friend. 

When Mila got back, she immediately started testing out the possible cure. For a whole week, she was deeply focused. Mila didn’t have time to think about her hunger or her weariness. She was so close and she refused to do anything else until she destroyed Eradica. Day and night she worked as hard as she could. She was doing this for Sarah and everyone else who had suffered from this awful disease.

Two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight days. Two thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight days was the time it took Mila to find the cure. She had done it. She felt the weight lift off her shoulders as she picked up the vial containing the antidote for Eradica. The chance for the world to change was finally here.